The Beatles

The British are coming! That must have been the cry in 1964 at the onset of the "British Invasion." But after more than 40 years, the Brits continue to rock and Americans just can't get enough. No one personifies this phenomenon more than The Beatles.

Birthplace: Liverpool, England

Claim to fame: In addition to several accolades, the Beatles have won seven Grammy Awards.

Did you know? "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was first played by a Washington, D.C., DJ who received the record from his stewardess girlfriend.
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The Animals

Birthplace: Newcastle, England

Claim to fame: Known for their gritty, psychedelic rock covers of blues tunes, the band topped U.S. charts in 1964 with their rendition of "House of the Rising Sun," which had previously been recorded by a number of artists including Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone.

Did you know? Alan Price (organ and keyboards) left the band in 1965 because, he said, he was scared of flying and could not travel to the U.S. with the rest of the group.
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The Who

Birthplace: Shepherd's Bush, West London, England

Claim to fame: Causing an all-out ruckus is now synonymous with rock 'n' roll, but The Who was the first band to make that its modus operandi. The band released five albums in the U.S. beginning in 1969.

Did you know? Rolling Stone magazine included the first time guitarist Pete Townshend smashed a guitar in its list of "50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock ’n’ Roll."
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The Rolling Stones

Birthplace: Dartford, England

Claim to fame: The iconic band has released 24 studio albums in the U.S. In 1986, the band received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Did you know? In 1963 the band played on the British TV show "Thank Your Lucky Stars," and the show's producer reportedly told the band's manager to lose "that vile-looking singer with the tire-tread lips."
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The Kinks

Birthplace: London, England

Claim to fame: "You Really Got Me" was a No.1 hit in England and reached No. 7 in the U.S. In 1990 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Did you know? From 1966 to 1969, the band was prevented from touring in the U.S. after their appearance on the American TV show "Hullabaloo."
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The Clash

Birthplace: London, England; Bromley, England and Ankara, Turkey

Claim to fame: Double album "London Calling" was raved about by U.S. critics as one of the best albums of the 1980s.

Did you know? Bassist Simonon suggested they call themselves "The Clash" after noticing how continuously the word was being used in the newspapers.
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Sex Pistols

Birthplace: London, England

Claim to fame: In 1977 the band's album "Never Mind the Bollocks" charted to No. 1 and is considered one of the best "punk rock" records of the time.

Did you know? Although their hit single "God Save the Queen" outsold the No. 1 record, it is only charted as No. 2 due to its subject matter.
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Iron Maiden

Birthplace: Leyton, England

Claim to fame: "Number of the Beast" topped the British charts, making them international rock stars.

Queen

Birthplace: London, England

Claim to fame: In 1981 Queen performed in Sao Paulo, Brazil to the largest crowd of paying fans ever to witness a concert.

Did you know? Roger Taylor had a degree in biology, John Deacon had a degree in electronics, and Freddie Mercury in illustration and design. Brian May was working on a Ph.D. in astronomy.
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David Bowie

Birthplace: Brixton, England

Claim to fame: His most popular album, 1983's "Let's Dance," had several hit singles, most notably the title track. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Bowie 39th among the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

George Michael

Birthplace: East Finchley, North London, England

Claim to fame: Besides the unfortunate 1998 run-in with a police officer in a Beverly Hills bathroom, Michael is a two-time Grammy Award winner, for Best R&B Performance -- Duo or Group with Vocal, and for Album of the Year, both in 1988.

Culture Club

Birthplace: London, England

Claim to fame: Though Boy George made headlines for his androgynous look, the group's real claim to fame was winning a Grammy Award in 1983.

Did you know? After winning the Grammy Award, Boy George gave a speech saying, "Thanks, America, you've got taste, style, and you know a good drag queen when you see one."
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Duran Duran

Birthplace: Birmingham, England

Claim to fame: Duran Duran won two Grammys for their music videos in 1983. In addition, they were one of the most successful bands in the New Romantic genre, with 21 singles charting in the Billboard Top 100.

Billy Idol

Birthplace: Long Island, New York (Billy and his family moved back to England when he was 4 years old)

Claim to fame: It's not just his signature bleach-blond mohawk that made Idol a fan favorite. The rebellious Idol's singles "White Wedding," which went No.1 in the U.S. in 1983 and "Eyes Without a Face" which went No. 1 in 1984, were among his several hit singles.

Did you know? Playing himself, Billy Idol had a brief but funny scene in the Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore film "The Wedding Singer."
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James Blunt

Birthplace: Wiltshire, England

Claim to fame: Blunt was nominated for five Grammys in 2006 for his debut album "Back to Bedlam" and was the first British act to have a single ("You're Beautiful") hit No. 1 in the U.S. since Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" in 1997.

Did you know? Blunt posted an ad on eBay for someone to help transport his sister to Ireland for a funeral. The ad was answered, and his sister married the lucky man in 2007.
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Joss Stone

Birthplace: Dover, Kent, England

Claim to fame: In 2005, Stone was nominated for three Grammys. In 2007, she shared an award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for her collaboration with Sly & the Family Stone, John Legend and Van Hunt on "Family Affair."

Did you know? When Stone was 14, she auditioned for the BBC TV show "Star for a Night" and not only got on the show, but won.
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Amy Winehouse

Birthplace: Southgate, England

Claim to fame: Besides her trademark beehive hairstyle, cat eyes and substance abuse, Winehouse became a household name after her 2006 sophomore album "Back to Black," which led to five Grammy Award wins.

Did you know? At the age of 10, Winehouse and her best friend drew inspiration from Salt-n-Pepa to create their own rap duo called Sweet 'n Sour.
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